Phil English's Voting Record on Agriculture
new! Phil English Has Poor Agricultural Ratings
The following was prepared by Project Vote Smart and illustrates English's agricultural scores:
| Year | Organization | Grade |
| 2007 | National Assn of Wheat Growers | 20 |
| 2007 | National Council of Agricultural Employers | 0 |
| 2007 | United Fresh Produce Assn | 0 |
| 2005-2006 | American Farm Bureau Federation | 82 |
| 2005-2006 | National Farmers Union | 0 |
| 2005 | National Assn of Wheat Growers | 87 |
| 2005 | National Council of Agricultural Employers | 66 |
| 2003-2004 | National Farmers Union | 17 |
| 2001-2002 | National Farmers Union | 50 |
| 2000 | American Farm Bureau Federation | 67 |
| 1999-2000 | National Farmers Union | 67 |
| 1999 | American Farm Bureau Federation | 73 |
| 1998 | National Farmers Union | 33 |
| 1997 | National Farmers Union | 71 |
| 1996 | National Farmers Union | 33 |
| 1995-1996 | American Farm Bureau Federation | 73 |
| 1995 | National Farmers Union | 10 |
new! Phil English Voted to Cut Grants for Rural Economic Development
In 2007, English voted against an amendment to the fiscal year 2008 Agriculture appropriations bill that would reduce funding by $6.3 million for the Rural Community Advancement Program, which provides rural development direct loans, loan guarantees and grants.
The Rural Community Advancement Program assists small communities with low per capita incomes develop strategies to spur economic development.
The program provides financial and technical assistance, as well as priority for many federal and state programs. Rural Community Advancement Program
The amendment was defeated 90-337. HR 3161, Vote #804, 8/2/07
NOTE: State-by-state program success stories which demonstrate the value of this program can be found at this site: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd/stories/index.htm#mi
new! Phil English Voted to Protect International Agriculture Companies
In 2007, English voted in favor of a motion to recommit the 2007 Farm Bill to stop a tax increase on agricultural companies.
The motion would have sent the bill to the Agriculture Committee with instructions that it be reported back promptly with language to strike a tax provision that would raise $4 billion over five years by ending the ability of foreign companies operating in the United States to shift income to a third country.
President Bush supported the motion. Congressional Quarterly
The motion was defeated 198-223. HR 2419, Vote #755, 7/27/07
new! Phil English Supported Cutting Nearly $39B From Commodity, Research, Rural Development & Conservation
In 2006, English voted in favor of the conference agreement to cut mandatory spending programs by $39.7 billion over the following five years. Due to the billions of dollars in tax cuts passed separately, the budget reconciliation package would increase the deficit.
The bill reduced the amount of direct payments available to farmers in advance to 40% in 2006 and 22% in 2007 and extended the Milk Income Loss Contract through 2007, at a cost of $998 million. The bill canceled funds, for a total cut of $1 billion over five years, for several programs including the Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food systems.
Additionally, the bill cut important farm bill conservation programs by $934 million over five years. The measure did not touch a $5 billion HMO slush fund established by the 2003 Medicare bill, and after intense lobbying from the health insurance industry, the budget saved HMOs $22 billion dollars. House Budget Committee Minority Staff, "Key Provisions in the Conference Report on the Republican Spending Reconciliation Bill." 12/19/05; CQ Today, 2/1/06; Washington Post, 2/1/06
The bill passed 216-214. HRS653, Vote #4, 2/01/06
new! Phil English Opposed Country-of-Origin Labeling
In 2005, English voted against an amendment that required labels that would tell shoppers from what country their meat comes from.
Country of origin labeling (COOL) benefited both American consumers and ranchers.
COOL provided-U.S. raised products with a competitive advantage over foreign products because U.S. consumers, if offered a clear choice, chose fresh foods of domestic origin over foods of foreign origin.
In fact, a majority of the nation's major trading partners already required country of origin labeling. Origin information was particularly important to consumers whenever specific health and safety problems arose that may be linked to imported foods such as the outbreaks of mad cow disease in Canada and Europe.
Originally passed as part of the 2002 Farm Bill, Congress already postponed the labeling from its original implementation date of 2004 to September 2006.
The annual bill that funded agriculture programs would extend the delay even further---until 2007. The delay applied only to meat and meat products; labels went into effect in April 2005 for fish and shellfish. Associated Press, 6/8/05; Americans for Country of Origin Labeling, "Reasons for Labeling," www.americansforlabeling.org; CRS Report for Congress, "Country-of-Origin Labeling for Foods: Current Law and Proposed Changes," 03/27/01; www.ncseonline.org
The amendment was defeated 187-240. HR 2744, Vote #231, 6/08/05
new! Phil English Supported Cuts to Agriculture Programs
In 2005, English supported the Republican cuts to commodity, research, rural development and conservation programs.
English voted in favor of the conference agreement to cut mandatory spending programs by $39.7 billion over the following five years.
Due to the billions of dollars in tax cuts passed separately, the budget reconciliation package would increase the deficit. The measure made several cuts to agriculture programs including $934 million from farm conservation initiatives and $1 billion from programs focused on rural development, enhanced broadband and renewable energy.
Finally, the bill reduced the amount of direct payments available to farmers in advance to 40 percent in 2006 and 22 percent in 2006.
It extended the Milk Income Loss Contract through 2007 at a cost of $998 million. House Budget Committee Minority Staff, "Key Provisions in the Conference Report on the Republican Spending Reconciliation Bill." 12/19/05
The measure passed 212-206. S 1932, Vote #670, 12/19/05
new! Phil English Opposed Extending Bankruptcy Protections for Family Farmers
In 2004, English voted against an amendment to make permanent Chapter 12 bankruptcy protection for family farmers and would expand eligibility requirements for Chapter 12, including permitting family fishermen to file for bankruptcy.
The amendment failed 158-204. S 1920, Vote #8, 1/28/04
new! Phil English Opposed Increasing Funding for Farmer's Market Promotion
In 2004, English voted against an amendment to increase funding for the Farmer's Market Promotion Program by $6 million.
Farmer's markets, an integral part in the urban/farm linkage, have continued to rise in popularity, mostly due to the growing consumer interest in obtaining fresh products directly from the farm.
The number of farmer's markets in the United States has grown dramatically, increasing 79 percent from 1994 to 2002. According to the 2002 National Farmer's Market Directory, there are over 3,100 farmer's markets operating in the United States.
This growth clearly indicated that farmer's markets were meeting the needs of a growing number of farmers with small- to medium-size operations. CQ Vote Report #369, 7/13/04; USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
The amendment was defeated 206-213. HR 4766, Vote #369, 7/13/04
new! Phil English Opposed Ethanol Reserve in 2001
In 2001, English voted against an amendment to establish a 10-year renewable energy reserve program to purchase and store agricultural products needed to produce bio-energy and renewable fuels.
The amendment was defeated, 100-323. HR 2646, Vote #363, 10/03/01
new! Phil English Opposed Farm Conservation
In 2001, English voted against an amendment to shift $1.9 billion from fixed and countercyclical payments to farm and undeveloped land conservation programs, including the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program.
The measure also would have increased the amount of land that could be included in various preservation programs.
The amendment was defeated, 200-226. HR 2646, Vote #366, 10/04/01
new! Phil English Opposed Rural Improvement Grants
In 2001, English voted against an amendment to shift $100 million in fixed payments for agricultural producers to several rural grants.
The grants included $45 million annually for Rural Strategic Planning Initiatives, $45 million annually for Community Water Assistance Grants and $10 million annually for the Value-Added Grants Program.
The amendment passed, 235-183. HR 2646, Vote #369, 10/04/01
new! Phil English Supported Funding Cut for Agriculture Programs in 1999
In 1999, English voted in favor of an amendment to cut $102 million from crucial agriculture programs, including elimination of the research education and extension service and slashing funds for the Agricultural Research Service and the Rural Housing Insurance Fund Program.
The amendment passed 234-195. HR 1906, Vote #175, 06/08/99
new! Phil English Supported Cutting Offices in the U.S. Department of Agriculture
In 1995, English voted for an amendment to cut the offices in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for administrative, communication, education, policy, economic and statistical functions.
The amendment was defeated 196-232. HR 1976, Vote #539, 7/20/95
new! Phil English Supported Cutting $12 Billion from Agriculture Programs
In 1995, English voted in favor of a budget bill that reduced projected spending by $894 billion and taxes by $245 billion over seven years to provide for a balanced budget by fiscal 2002.
Over seven years, the bill reduced projected spending on agriculture programs by $12 billion, Medicare by $270 billion, Medicaid by $163 billion, welfare programs by $82 billion, the earned-income tax credit by $32 billion, and federal employee retirement programs by $10 billion.
The bill also included a $500 per-child tax credit for families with incomes up to $110,000, reduced taxes on capital gains income, and expanded eligibility for Individual Retirement Accounts.
The bill allowed oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska; imposed royalties for hard-rock mining on federal lands; capped the federal direct student loan program and increased the federal debt limit from $4.9 trillion to $5.5 trillion.
The bill passed 237-189. HR 2491, Vote #812, 11/17/95
new! Phil English Opposed Retaining Poultry Labeling Laws
In 1995, English voted against a motion to implement new poultry regulations that prohibited the labeling of chickens as "fresh" if they had been chilled below 26 degrees.
The motion was implemented 158-264. HR 1976, Vote #707, 10/12/95
new! Phil English Supported Massive Cut to Agricultural Programs
In 1995, English voted in favor of a budget plan that cut agriculture spending by $17 billion over the next seven years.
The budget passed 238-193. HConRes 67, Vote #345, 5/18/95